5 research outputs found
Comparative Analysis of Formats and Readability of Articles published in a News Paper and A Farm Magazine
No full textIn India there are several media disseminating the recent agricultural technologies to farmers. Among them, print media play a vital role in disseminating the recent technologies to literate farmers. Agricultural Journalism in India came into existence just five decades ago. It is now gaining importance, particularly after the establishment of State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), the technical information needs to be provided to the farmers at the right time in a right way, so that the productivity can be increase
DataSheet1_Adaptive damper control for HVAC systems based on human occupancy and indoor parameters: A development study.docx
No full textOccupancy-based strategies for the control of ventilation systems in buildings are effective for achieving energy savings and user comfort. Savings in energy consumption of more than 50% can be achieved by controlling heat, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems with accurate sensory and occupancy information. In this study, the flow through the damper of the variable area valve (VAV) system and the speed of the blower’s variable frequency drive (VFD) are controlled in the HVAC system, on the basis of human occupancy and indoor parameters, namely, temperature and humidity, segment-wise in the building. In the proposed model, the flapper angle of the VAV is estimated using the indoor temperature, external temperature, and number of occupants. The occupancy data are fed to the controller proposed to regulate the flow through the ducts of the system, which is based on the flapper angle of the VAV, in order to maintain human comfort. The proposed scheme makes it possible to detect abnormalities in energy utilization and to trace maximum utilization in the building based on occupancy, with the control parameters of the HVAC adjusted for a comfortable indoor environment. Performance evaluation of the VAV system with its proposed control strategy, temperature, and flow distribution is simulated using Fluent software. A laboratory grade prototype incorporating the proposed control strategy is then developed, tested under three different conditions, and the results are reported. The experimental results show that an energy saving of 18% can be achieved.</p
Dielectric Behavior and A. C. Conductivity Studies on Cobalt Nanoferrites Synthesized Using Combustion Method
No full textIn silico docking studies of α‑amylase inhibitors from the anti‑diabetic plant Leucas ciliata Benth. and an endophyte, Streptomyces longisporofavus
No full textIn this investigation, potential inhibitors of α-amylase, one of the key regulatory enzymes in diabetes were characterized from the methanolic extract of Leucas ciliata Benth. (Lamiaceae), a traditional medicinal plant of the Western Ghats, southern India and the ethyl acetate extract of Streptomyces longisporoflavus (JX965948), an endophytic actinomycete isolated from the stem fragments of L. ciliata, by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy (GC–MS) technique followed by molecular docking studies. Forty-four compounds were detected in the solvent extracts of the host plant and the endophyte, respectively. These compounds were selected as ligands for the receptor α-amylase in the molecular docking studies using PyRx software (0.8 V) for the inhibition of α-amylase activity. The ligands were ranked based on the binding energies ranging between − 3.1 and − 10.1 kcal/mol. Three ligands from the host plant extract, viz., Topotecan (PNo_7), Cathine (PNo_17) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-(methylsulfonyl)amphetamine (PNo_18), depicted good binding energies of − 5.2 to − 7.8, respectively, whereas seven compounds from the endophyte extract showed binding energies in the range of − 4.7 to − 10.1, respectively. The standard α-amylase inhibitor Acarbose™ depicted binding energy of − 9.2 kcal/mol. All ligands were subjected to lead-likeliness property using Lipinski’s rule of five. On the basis of the hydrogen bonding interactions with the receptor, and chemoinformatics analysis for drug-likeliness, one ligand, Topotecan (PNo_7) from the host plant was identified as the potential α-amylase inhibitor. This is the first attempt to identify alkaloid and flavonoid compounds as the α-amylase inhibitors from the host plant and its endophyte simultaneously. The molecular docking analyses presented in this study could lead to the development of potent α-amylase inhibitors helpful in the treatment of diabetes
Acetylation: a critical factor in maintaining intestinal inflammation?
No full textPhDIn inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), both chronic pro-inflammatory pathways and failure of anti-inflammatory (healing) mechanisms sustain disease. The two major anti-inflammatory gut cytokines are transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and interleukin (IL)-10. Acetylation of regulatory proteins may play a role in the activation of both pathways. In IBD there is excess production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and under-expression of IL-10. Fibroblasts also over-produce matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), mediating tissue destruction. Curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric and a known inhibitor of acetylation, shows clinical benefit in IBD in early trials. Objectives: To assess the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin in the gut of children and adults with IBD. Methods: Intestinal mucosal tissue biopsies, mononuclear cells and colonic myofibroblasts from children and adults with active IBD were cultured ex vivo with curcumin. p38 MAPK, NF-κB and MMP-3 were measured by immunoblotting. IL-1β, interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: We have shown favourable modulation of the cytokine profile by curcumin, with enhanced IL-10 expression and decreased IL-1β, and we have demonstrated reduced p38 MAPK activation in intestinal mucosal tissue. We have also shown dose-dependent suppression of MMP-3 expression in colonic myofibroblasts (CMF) with curcumin, by a mechanism which appears to be acetylation-dependent. Conclusion: Curcumin, a naturally occurring food substance with no known human toxicity, holds promise as a novel therapy in IBD
